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Darwin Sold Out

24 November 1859

On the origin of species, 5th thousand (1860)

Source:

A 118/2

Charles Darwin's On the origin of Species by means of natural selection, or the preservation of favoured races in the struggle for life first appeared on 24 November 1859 and was sold out that very same day. The publisher had been sceptical and had printed only 1250 copies. 'Next time write about pigeons, a subject everybody is interested in', he had told Darwin. The word 'evolution' is used for the first time only in the sixth edition of the book. The term 'descent with modification' is the forerunner of 'evolution'. Even today On the origin is still being published.